2024 NHL Draft Preview: Pelletier, St-Hilaire, Warren, Milota

NHL Draft season is underway, and what better time to take a sneak-peak into some of the best the QMJHL have to offer who might hear their name called next weekend.

Zach Pelletier is coming off a solid rookie campaign in the QMJHL where he took up Gatineau’s starting role with relative ease. He posted an .875 save percentage and a 3.64 goals against average over 43 games on a below .500 team. He’s about as raw as you’d expect coming off his first major junior season, but boasts strong positioning, a good frame and solid athleticism that has attracted the attention of NHL scouts. Next season might be a tough one for Pelletier as he will either tandem with or battle for the starting role with 2025 draft eligible Kian Hodgins, who also had an .875 save percentage and a similar 3.70 goals against average in 12 less games. 

Sherbrooke’s Samuel St-Hilaire might be one of the oldest goalies ranked by Central Scouting, but he’s here and this high for good reason. In his sophomore QMJHL season, the 20-year-old goaltender shut the door with a .915 save percentage, good for 4th of goalies who played 30 or more games, and a 2.41 goals against average over 36 games. St-Hilaire’s skating and athleticism are top notch for a junior goalie, and he plays with ice in his veins when things get shaky in front of him. You can tell from just watching him that he’s a competitor, through and through. As you’d expect with an older goalie, he’s a lot more polished than most prospects, but his weaker rebound control can create chaos which he can handle in the QMJHL, but may become a problem in pro. Most notably, he was selected to Canada’s World Junior team alongside Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff and his QMJHL counterpart Mathis Rousseau. Even after last season, which saw St-Hilaire’s name go uncalled, the NHL interest was there as he participated in the rookie camps of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins – two teams of the several teams who may take a swing on him in the later rounds.

Once a 14th round pick in the QMJHL draft in 2021, Keegan Warren is used to flying under the radar. In Warren’s 23-game rookie year, he posted an .899 save percentage and 3.19 goals against average. Warren has strong athleticism, puck tracking and skating, but there’s some concern about rebounds and getting overwhelmed in scrambles. Warren is expected to take the starting role in Moncton, he could be a breakout candidate if he can build confidence in chaotic situations and work on his rebounds.

Brought in by the Eagles in the first round of the 2023 QMJHL Import Draft, Jakub Milota had a debut that turned some heads. He played tandem for Cape Breton, rocking a .905 save percentage and a 2.82 goals against average across 33 games, the best save percentage for a first year draft eligible in the QMJHL this season (min 5 games). This was good enough for the Eagles to pencil him in as their starter next year. Milota’s got quick feet and plays a structured game that you don’t see often in first year draft prospects. His angles and decisions can be questionable, but could be a result of still adjusting to the playstyle and ice in North America. He’s also more raw athletically and physically than his peers, which should improve with time. This season Milota also started for Czechia at the U18s in Finland and had an .882 save percentage and a 3.05 goals against average on a disappointing Czech team. His tournament may cast some doubt on him being drafted this year, but should he go undrafted, teams may come to regret that decision next June.

The first round of the NHL draft will be airing June 28th, 2024 at 7:00 PM EST, and the following rounds occur throughout June 29th.